Cleaning compositions are used throughout the world in people's homes and workplaces. These compositions range from surface cleaners and disinfectants to bleach for removing stains from one's clothes or teeth. However, conventional cleaning and whitening compositions are limited by the standard chemistry which generates the cleaning or whitening attribute of the composition.
Conventional low cost cleaners, such as chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite), are limited in their ability to disinfect and sanitize. For example, such systems have limited benefit on biofilms, a complex biological community formed extensively in the natural environment by bacteria.
Another attempt at eliminating biofilm is through the production of chlorine dioxide and other biocidal gases. Specifically, it is known that chlorine dioxide can be generated by mixing a chlorine dioxide precursor, such as a metal chlorite, and an activator component, such as a transition metal or acid. When each of the components are combined the chlorine dioxide precursor and activator component react to form chlorine dioxide. Such reactions are highly volatile and toxic and are, therefore, not desirable for home applications. Furthermore, these components must be sequestered to prevent premature formation of the chlorine dioxide. However, multi-compartment packaging is more expensive and can still allow premature mixing of the components and accidental generation of chlorine dioxide. As such, such systems are undesirable.
Yet another attempt at eliminating biofilm is through the use of a photoactivator to produce chlorine dioxide. Specifically, it is known to use titanium dioxide (TiO2) and a chlorine dioxide precursor in conjunction with exposure to ultraviolet light to generate chlorine dioxide. However, such processes are undesirable due to the health risks associated with exposure to ultraviolet light, the degradation which can occur to the other components of the cleaning compositions, and the use of an insoluble inorganic photoactivator. In addition, titanium dioxide forms particulates which leave undesirable residue on surfaces and requires additives to suspend in and imparts opaqueness to compositions.
As such, there remains a need for a water-soluble photoactivator that can enable the generation of one or more benefit active agents effective as a bleaching agent, stain remover, or antimicrobial and/or in eliminating biofilm. There further remains a need for a water-soluble photoactivator that produces a substantially colorless consumer product composition that is effective as a bleaching agent, stain remover, or antimicrobial and/or in eliminating biofilm and activatable by visible light.